Nonprofit FELIDAE Plans Educational Event to Teach About Large Cats
Pacific Union GMAC Realtor Valerie Castellana on Board of Directors

Belvedere, CA – Belvedere resident Zara McDonald wants to educate people about large cat species following the recent tiger incident at the San Francisco zoo. To do so, her local nonprofit group FELIDAE CONSERVATION FUND is hosting a fundraiser on Thursday, January 31 at 6:30 PM at the Lark Theater to focus on these animals, showing footage of her own work in Pakistan with the Snow Leopard and featuring noted scientists specializing in large cats. Valeria Castellana a broker with Pacific Union GMAC Real Estate in Marin works closely with McDonald as her REALTOR® and sits on the Board of Directors of FELIDAE.

“Incidents like this need not occur if people understood these wild animals to a greater degree,” said McDonald who spent two months last year in Pakistan tracking an endangered snow leopard in an effort to gather information about their habitat needs. She has also participated in fieldwork in North America, Nepal, Mongolia, Namibia and will be in Chile and Argentina later this year. “There are many similarities between these large cats and local mountain lions, or Pumas, we have in Marin. We want to create knowledge and understanding of the conflict issues, while lessening unnecessary fears about these amazing animals.”

Belvedere-based FELIDAE was created with the vision to create a world where all remaining wild cat species thrive in co-existence with people and the environment. The organization has a number of ongoing programs and partnerships, including a new scientific study about to get underway in the San Francisco Bay Area. FELIDAE is partnering with the California Department of Fish and Game, UC Santa Cruz and Cal Poly on a field study to raise awareness of the human-wildlife conflicts in our own backyard.

Also on January 31, McDonald will spend the afternoon at Kent Middle School talking to 5th and 6th graders about mountain lions. She will actually bring young Pumas to the school for the program.

For information about FELIDAE, visit www.felidaefund.org. Tickets for the January 31 event at the Lark Theater, 549 Magnolia Avenue in Larkspur can be purchased online or by calling 415-315-9625.

Pacific Union GMAC Real Estate

Since 1975, Pacific Union GMAC Real Estate has thoughtfully matched generations of buyers and sellers throughout the entire Bay Area. Pacific Union GMAC focuses on delivering outstanding quality and unparalleled service to a full spectrum of discerning clients. Pacific Union GMAC is the only firm in California to receive a distinguished International Property Award in association with CNBC for superior marketing materials and client services in the luxury marketplace. A premier, locally managed brokerage with knowledgeable, experienced real estate professionals, Pacific Union GMAC takes a leading edge to new technology applications designed to enhance the client experience. Pacific Union is a GMAC Home Services company. For more information, visit www.pacunion.com.